Anti-cancer activity of pyridoxal phosphate and metformin combination in human pancreatic cancer cells

Abstract

Background: Pancreatic cancer is the foremost cause of cancer-related deaths in many developed countries with a poor prognosis. With advanced disease conditions chemotherapy, surgery followed by radiation is the regimen to prolong the survival. But a complete cure is questionable. Metformin is the first-line drug used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in the world. Aim: The study aims to assess the anti-cancer activity of metformin with the combination of micronutrient pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) in the human pancreatic cancer cell line (PANC-1). Methods: Panc1 cells were maintained in vitro cell culture conditions. The IC50 concentrations of metformin and PLP were estimated and selected by using MTT assay. Morphological changes upon treatments were observed under microscope. Distribution of cells pattern was observed with propidium iodide dye in cell cycle assay. Different phases of cell distribution were studied with apoptosis assay. Results: More morphological changes were observed with PLP followed metformin. MTT assay revelled the IC50 concentrations of metformin and PLP were 20.95 ± 0.98 mM and 5.70 ± 0.07 mM. The cell cycle assay revealed that the percentage of cells was arrested in different phases with the treatments. Apoptosis assay revelled metformin increased necrosis population to 9.9%, whereas PLP has enhanced to 14.2% apoptosis. Tumour suppressor protein p53 levels had increased to 24.8% with PLP and 3.5% with metformin. Conclusion: In conclusion, PLP has significantly induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and enhanced p53 protein expression but a combination of PLP with metformin drug has not synergised anti-cancer activity in human PANC1 cells.